Nikon 1 V3 review – Viewfinder, LCD and video
The V3 does away with the built-in EVF seen on both the V1 and V2. While it could be argued that the inclusion of an EVF would have compromised the design and size of the V3, it’s a shame that it has not been included. This will perhaps be a bit of a turn-off for quite a few potential users, so to counteract this Nikon offers an optional DF-N1000 2,359,000-dot EVF (costing £249) that slots onto the accessory port on top of the V3 body. This will make composition much more satisfying and will be an essential piece of kit for those who have embraced the 2.7x crop factor of previous generations for wildlife and action photography via the FT1 F-mount adapter.
It’s worth noting that the accessory port doubles as the camera’s proprietary accessory port, so aside from the built-in flash, an additional flash can be attached (there are two in the range) or microphone should you not want to use the EVF.
For those relying solely on the rear display, the V3 sports a 3in touchscreen that has a 1.04-million-dot resolution, with the screen offering a 170° movement upwards and 87° downwards for awkward shooting angles. The display is responsive and shooting info clearly displayed (so long as you’re not shooting in the midday sun), while there’s a clever virtual horizon that features a graphical display overlaid over the image the camera’s roll and pitch.
The video feature on the V3 is impressive, offering capture at 50/60fps at full HD 1080p resolution, while for breathtaking slow-motion shots, the V3 can record at 120fps in HD 720p. There’s also a new Movie e-VR image stabilisation system to subtly crop round the edges of the frame for a more pleasing result.
